The Super Bowl returns to Los Angeles next year. Almost four years ago to the day, the Bengals were one questionable Logan Wilson pass interference call or one Quinton Spain block of Aaron Donald away from capturing the first championship in franchise history.
The theme in the aftermath centered on how young, talented and early that team was when it arrived on the grandest stage.
They would be back.
Four years later, not only have they not been back, they’ve never been further away, coming off the first losing season since 2020.
Yet, they are still one strong offseason away from bringing this story full circle and returning to SoFi Stadium for redemption. The approach to the offseason is simple and the worst-kept secret in the NFL: Fix the defense.
The Bengals have nearly all their starters back from a prolific offense and need to find answers at all levels of the defense. They rank in the top 10 in cap space and own the draft’s No. 10 pick. For all those who spent the last two weeks workshopping the Mock Offseason Sheet, you know the levers available.
Last year, I outlined the 10-step path back to the Super Bowl and the Bengals’ inability to execute a trio of the main points (specifically, No. 2, trading Trey Hendrickson) created fatal flaws in their 2025 season.
So, what does a perfect offseason look like? Here’s this year’s 10-step plan for 2026 that will have the Bengals lofting a Lombardi Trophy at this time next year:
1A. Make a real run at the big swing
Let’s start with two prongs to the first (and most significant) move of the offseason. The Bengals must find answers to fix the pass rush. Doing so will be complicated; read all about it in last week’s three-part series.
To start, the Bengals must make a real run at the big swing. That means being willing to execute a trade to land a dominant pass rusher. There’s nothing wrong with trying and recognizing the price was too steep, considering the number of weaknesses on the defense. However, there’s also a chance, given the makeup of the Bengals’ assets and the extreme pressure to contend again next season, that a bold move could be within reach.
Who could that be? The top names bandied about right now are the Raiders’ Maxx Crosby and Titans’ Jeffery Simmons, with Crosby the more likely of the two to be dealt. It would take significant capital to pull off such a trade, but the Bengals do have the No. 10 pick.
If there were a year to use a high pick to acquire a player, this would be the one with not as many blue-chip players at the top of the draft. Dangling a top-10 pick would immediately increase interest from a Raiders team needing to build around Fernando Mendoza with either weapons or protection, as well as a Titans team starting over under first-year head coach Robert Saleh.
A top draft pick sounds great, but the Bengals are trying to win now.
Go back to the 2022 NFL Draft. Philadelphia sacrificed its No. 17 pick to acquire and extend A.J. Brown. After Aidan Hutchinson, Derek Stingley and possibly Sauce Gardner, that still looks like the best use of a first-round pick from that year. With Brown’s help, the Eagles have won 50 regular-season games, three division titles and a Super Bowl ever since.
Perhaps other options will become available that could bring pass-rush juice that isn’t public knowledge. Still, the Bengals need to be digging everywhere for elite rushers to close games in the same manner Trey Hendrickson did the last five seasons.
If there is a trade to be done, this would be the time to approach Joe Burrow about a contract restructure. There would likely be a need to push some of his cap down the line, and what better reason than to point directly to a big-swing move on defense as the exact reason why. An opportunity to go all in and win now. It’s hard to imagine Burrow (or Ja’Marr Chase, who was lobbying for Crosby last week) not being on board.
The excitement and buy-in from players, coaches and fans for 2026 would skyrocket.
Maxx Crosby would fill a significant need for the Bengals, but will they be aggressive enough to pursue the Raiders’ star pass rusher? (Rob Carr / Getty Images)
1B. Check pass-rush boxes with quantity and versatility
OK, OK, Option 1A would be considered unlikely for most teams and way out of character for the Bengals. So, assuming a big trade doesn’t come to fruition, the plan should focus on calculated quantities and versatility.
The best value in that regard would be Dre’Mont Jones. He’d bring 40-50 pressures, could play both inside and outside, and has veteran savvy and saltiness that they must increase. Maybe he’d live primarily on the edge; perhaps they’d find an inside pass-down package rotation. Either way, they’d land another capable pass rusher who would help everyone.
The second signing, up front, would require taking a bold shot at a young, underappreciated player. Names like Arnold Ebiketie and Levi Onwuzurike would be ideal rotational players with strong underlying analytics who could take pressure off the current linemen and maybe bubble up to the mid-tier of free agency.
2. Add leadership, talent at linebacker
This might be among the easiest to accomplish. Placing a talented No. 1 linebacker with a history of elite leadership into the middle of the defense would go a long way to lifting everyone, including two 2025 rookies who started and struggled next to each other last season.
I’d start with Demario Davis. He has ties to linebackers coach Mike Hodges, playing under him in New Orleans. He’s a truly elite leader, a Walter Payton Man of the Year nominee and can still ball. He’s played 16 games in 13 straight seasons. Sure, he’s 37, but PFF graded him fourth among all qualifying linebackers last year. He played on a one-year, $8.5 million deal in New Orleans. Offer the same deal and reap the benefits on and off the field.
You can make a similar argument for several other linebackers: Bobby Wagner, Alex Singleton, Alex Anzalone and Lavonte David. However, none fit the bill of what the Bengals need like Davis, and Cincinnati offers the allure of chasing a ring in the twilight of your career under a position coach he knows.
3. Don’t devalue safety
I am contractually obligated to mention Jessie Bates here. You can’t discuss the Bengals’ carousel of missed tackles, blown coverages and wasted money since Bates was allowed to walk without saying how much trouble could have been saved by extending him back in 2022.
Instead, there’s been a series of cheaper Band-Aids ripped at the back end of the Bengals defense, which ranks 31st in explosive plays allowed over the last three seasons. They need to pick among a wide range of solid starters available in free agency and pay up. That means being willing to spring up to the $10 million range for a Jaquan Brisker, Bryan Cook, Kam Curl or Harrison Smith if they are viewed as the best option for the scheme.
4. Bring back Dalton Risner
I know I said linebacker should be the easiest item, but this one should be the easiest. The guard market is stocked this year, so Risner shouldn’t break the bank. He has the most value in Cincinnati, where he found a fantastic fit and thrived in pass protection, specifically. Bringing back the starting five and finally having faith in the continuity would go a long way toward ensuring the offense picks up where it left off.
Dalton Risner proved to be a valuable addition for the Bengals in 2025. (Jeff Hanisch / Imagn Images)
5. Tag and trade Hendrickson for a 3rd-round pick
The process might be complicated, but somebody will pay up for the sack production that comes along with Hendrickson. Take advantage of that by applying the franchise tag and accepting the best offers, then make the deal, preferably, before free agency ramps up. There should be enough to warrant a third-round pick in this year’s draft.
Making all the moving pieces work won’t be easy. There’s a reason only three such deals have been done in the last five years and none involving a player older than 30, but this should be doable. Adding the draft asset now, instead of a compensatory pick in 2027, amplifies the pile of assets for this year’s team and also doesn’t restrict any signings with worry about losing the pick because they signed too many free agents.
6. Don’t skimp on backup QB (or lose Joe Flacco’s number)
If one lesson was learned from the disaster of 2025, it’s to take the backup quarterback position seriously. The Bengals thought they did with Jake Browning, but ended up setting a month of football on fire when they weren’t able to successfully transition to him following Burrow’s toe injury.
The best-case scenario here would be Flacco agreeing to return as Burrow’s backup. He might end up with a chance to compete as a starter elsewhere, so it’s hard to think that option is realistic. That shouldn’t stop Cincinnati from landing a veteran with significant starts to his name in the same profile as Flacco. Pay him the $3 million to $5 million it will take to land the job and provide adequate insurance for Burrow. It’s just a necessary insurance policy given Burrow’s injury history.
7. Set up for a true best player available pick at 10
One of the critical mistakes last offseason was not signing enough defensive starters in free agency, which led to the need for a linebacker, a guard and a pass rusher in the draft. Losing the freedom to select the best players led to not coming away with a defensive tackle in one of the best defensive tackle drafts.
That can’t happen this year, specifically, that can’t happen with the first-round pick. The Bengals haven’t picked in the top 10 since selecting Chase in 2021. There’s no player available that will replicate his talent level, but the Bengals can’t close themselves off to any position.
Would they prefer he come on the defensive side of the ball? Sure. Rueben Bain, Caleb Downs or David Bailey would be ideal meshing talent with needs, but the Bengals can’t close off anything. They don’t have enough great players. This spot must be reserved for that. A position of more immediate need should break ties, without question.
Still, if a cornerback, offensive tackle or, yes, even receiver, is on a tier above the rest on the Bengals’ board, they need to feel the freedom to take that player. That freedom comes from taking care of business by landing starters to address positional needs in free agency.
Ohio State safety Caleb Downs could be both the best player available and fill a need for the Bengals if he drops to pick No. 10 in the draft. (Joseph Maiorana / Imagn Images)
8. Leave with three defenders from the top 110
Going best player available should be the goal, but there still must be a talent influx on the defensive side of the ball. That means by the time the Bengals pick at No. 110 in the fourth round, they should have three new defensive players. That would be easier with a pick for Hendrickson, but either way, it would be ideal.
There’s no position off-limits on defense, but depth and fresh playmakers must be added to grow the ceiling of potential for that side of the ball.
9. Still protect Burrow
The Bengals should try to draft a left tackle of the future who can serve as a necessary addition to the depth in the room. That could end up being one of the top tackles with the 10th pick. That could also be a player that falls to Day 2 because he needs a year of seasoning.
Well, the Bengals have that advantage, with Orlando Brown Jr. entering the final year of his contract and the team not needing an immediate starter. A player like Max Iheanachor, who’s still raw but flashed impressive skills, could be the type of player that fits what Cincinnati is looking for as an answer at tackle in 2027 and beyond.
He would not be alone, but keeping that position on the radar on draft weekend will be important. If that doesn’t work out, the Bengals must be willing to dip into the remaining free-agent waters as it gets closer to the season, as they did by signing Risner and tight end Noah Fant last year.
Bottom line: There needs to be insurance and a plan in place at tackle. It’s not safe to assume both Brown and Amarius Mims will stay healthy for a full season, as they did in 2025.
10. Extend DJ Turner, Dax Hill before camp
No public squabbling. No lowball offers. No holdouts. No hold-ins. Take two players you drafted and developed at premium positions and reward them. Do it without haggling until the last minute.
Cincinnati accomplished this last year with Tee Higgins and Chase signing deals in March. Why can’t they do it again with another tandem on the outside? There are also extension conversations to be had with Chase Brown and Myles Murphy, and we should see where they go, but there’s more reason to let those play out than with the corners.
Turner played like one of the best corners in football, and Hill found his place on the outside after years searching for a home. The Bengals should lock both up and establish them as pillars of a defense built to grow around them. And do so before anybody steps foot on the practice field in training camp.